Congratulations on Your Hole-in-One!

Joey Skovgaard

Joan Fafoglia

If the backdrop of Eagle’s Nest hole number 4 overlooking the parkway entrance isn’t inviting enough, on Dec. 4, while visiting his new in-laws PebbleCreek residents Steve and Joan Fafoglia, Joey Skovgaard (Denver, Colo.) posted his very first hole-in-one. At 140 yards from the blue tees, Joey hit left of the pin and it rolled in. Witnessing his celebration was his father-in-law and a couple who lived on the back 9 of the course.

Congratulations Joey, and may this not be your only ace!

Tom Reynolds

Howie Tiger

On Oct. 4, Tom Reynolds scored his first ace, but it did not happen in the year of COVID-19. It happened in 2019. This writer failed to capture this exciting moment even though Tom bought him a beer at the time to celebrate. Apologies to Tom.

Tom made his first hole-in-one on the 8th hole at Eagle’s Nest. The pin was located in the most difficult position on the green, the rear plateau. The hole played 146 yards from the white tee. Under calm conditions, he hit his Ping 6-hybrid with a great trajectory right at the flag. It bounced twice and rolled in. Tom saw it go in and yelled, “Hey that’s my first hole-in-one!”

Tom’s playing partners were PebbleCreek residents Bruce Baird, Gene Stuto, and visitor Brian Kline. As they saw the ball go in, it was immediate high-fives all around. Remember, this was pre-COVID! As a signal to an improving game, just a few months earlier, Tom made an eagle (2) on the second hole of the East Course. Definitely a precursor of better shots to come.

Tom is a PCMGA member, but this hole-in-one was not made during a PCMGA event and therefore did not qualify for the annual hole-in-one prize fund.

Tom is a native Phoenician who has been playing golf for 50 years. He attended East High School, which now happens to be buried under Route 202. He went to Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff for two years before joining the U.S. Army. He was stationed in Nuremberg, Germany in a field artillery unit. His unit was housed in the Merrell Barracks, the same compound as the site of the WWII Nuremburg Trials. Tom said, “You could still see bullet holes in the walls.” After his two-year tour of duty, Tom returned to Phoenix and graduated from Arizona State University with a business degree in marketing.

Tom spent his 30-year career at Motorola specializing in inventory management and production control. He and his wife, Rosemary, moved to PebbleCreek in 2010 from Heber, Ariz. He is currently one of our fine golf course rangers.

Congratulations on this awesome feat after 50 years of play!

Mike Christensen

Howie Tiger

On Nov. 20, Mike Christensen made a hole-in-one on the 17th hole of the East Course at Tuscany Falls. He made this awesome shot while playing with the Wild Bunch golf group.

The 17th hole was playing 117 yards from the white tees with a front pin position. Mike hit his 9-iron a little thin causing a low trajectory. The ball landed on the front of the green, rolled toward the hole breaking right, and then went into the hole. One of his playing partners, Dee Cuttell, yelled, “It’s in, it’s in!” Mike said, “Dee was probably more excited than me.”

Mike’s other playing partners were Doug Ginter and Chuck Veltri. As they approached the green, Mike checked the hole, and it was in for sure. They all bumped clubs. No high-fives in this year of COVID-19.

He is a PCMGA member, but this hole-in-one was not made during a PCMGA event and therefore does not qualify for the annual hole-in-one prize fund.

Mike has been playing golf for 50 years and never had a hole-in-one prior to moving to PebbleCreek. His first one came on the 8th hole of the East Course in 2018. The hole played 177 yards from the blue tees to a back pin placement. Mike did not see the ball go in, however, his playing partners did, as well as a couple walking down Clubhouse Drive. They clapped for Mike.

Mike grew up in Ogden, Iowa and graduated from Drake University in Des Moines. He spent his 26-year career in the U.S. Air Force retiring as a full bird colonel. During those 26 years, he moved 12 times and was stationed in far-away places such as Turkey, the Philippines, and Saudi Arabia. He was the supply squadron commander at Mountain Home AFB in Idaho. In Virginia, he was with the air combat command and worked on logistical assignments for Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield.

Mike and Lavonne, his wife of 51 years, moved from Loveland, Colo. to PebbleCreek in 2017. Two holes-in-one in three years living in PebbleCreek. They guess they made the right decision to move here!

Congrats on this fantastic shot!

Mike Romano

Howie Tiger

On Nov. 29, Mike Romano made a hole-in-one on the 17th hole at Eagle’s Nest. Mike is the third PCMGA member who scored an ace in the month of November. He joined Paul Maurer and Mike Christensen.

Mike hit his 9-iron on the par-3 17th hole, which was playing 134 yards from the blue tees. It was a front pin placement. His shot was straight at the flag, landed on the green bouncing once, and popped into the hole. Two of his playing partners, Vicki Norrie (Mike’s sweetie) and Donna Havener were having a conversation at the time and did not see his shot. However, Mike and his other playing partner, Lee Havener, saw it go in. Lee screamed, “It’s in!” Vicki asked, “What’s all the screaming about?” Lee said, “Mike just made a hole-in-one!” Vicki and Donna then got excited and started taking pictures.

Mike is a PCMGA member, but this hole-in-one was not made during a PCMGA event and therefore does not qualify for the annual hole-in-one prize fund.

In 50 years playing golf, this was Mike’s 6th hole-in-one. His first ace was in 2002 at Eagle Hills in Eagle, Idaho. Two other aces occurred at courses in the Boise, Idaho area. His fourth came on this same 17th hole at Eagle’s Nest, and the fifth came on the 12th hole at Eagle’s Nest. He definitely likes courses named after eagles.

Mike is originally from Indian Town Gap, Pa. He was an army brat and traveled the world with his military family. He spent four years near Livorno, Italy at Camp Darby. He climbed the nearby Leaning Tower of Pisa dozens of times. He also spent three years in Heidelberg, Germany. His high school graduation ceremony was held at the Heidelberg Castle.

Mike spent his entire working career at Hewlett Packard where he served as an environmental specialist. He was responsible for the proper disposal of 2,000 tons of chemical waste per year.

Congrats to Mike on this spectacular shot!

Bob Newell

Howie Tiger

On Dec. 3, Bob Newell made a hole-in-one on the 17th hole at Eagle’s Nest. This amazing shot happened during the second round of the PCMGA 4-Man Scramble tournament.

Bob hit his 5-hybrid to a back right pin placement into a very strong left-to-right wind. The hole was playing 138 yards from the white tees. He hit his usual low trajectory shot, landing just onto the green. The ball rolled directly toward the hole and went in. He and his three playing partners, Joe Bannon, Jim Stephens, and Rick Savage all saw the ball go in. Bob yelled, “Holy cow” or something like that. Lots of celebrating actions and numerous pics taken. This foursome had never played together in a PCMGA form-your-own team event before.

Bob has been playing golf since he was eight years old. This was his third hole-in-one. His first was on the 9th hole at Rancho Manana Golf Course (Cave Creek, Ariz.) in October 1993. He had his second 13 months later at the second hole at Starfire Golf Club in Scottsdale.

Bob was born in Massachusetts, and after graduating from Western New England College with a degree in mechanical engineering, his family moved to the Philadelphia area. Early in his career, while working for United Aircraft, he tested spacesuits for the Apollo mission. He was even once on TV with science broadcaster Jules Bergman talking about it.

He spent most of his career at Honeywell Corporation in Philadelphia and in Arizona. At Honeywell, he held positions such as a regional sales manager and director of energy marketing. He headed up their Y2K project. He also authored several professional peer-reviewed papers involving the energy industry.

Throughout Bob’s life, he has been heavily involved in the sport of golf in a volunteer capacity. He has volunteered at more than 100 golf events including the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, Compaq Open in L.A., Charles Schwab Cup, and the Phoenix Open. He is most proud of his volunteer work with blind golfers. As a senior blind coach in the Philly area, he worked with 30-40 blind golfers every Monday for four summers. He also volunteered as a blind coach in Tucson and here in Phoenix. He was quite involved in the early years of the First Tee of Phoenix. He even organized one of several clinics for blind children with them and blind organizations in Phoenix and Salt Lake City.

Bob and his wife, Judy, moved from Philly to PebbleCreek in 2007. He is a regular member of the Birdie Chasers golf group. He has supported the PCMGA in many ways, including as member guest volunteer chairman.

Bob joins Steve Wonder and Paul Maurer as members eligible to share in the PCMGA annual hole-in-one prize fund.

Congrats to Bob on this terrific feat!

Barb Chilton Gets a Hole-In-One in PCLGA Tournament!

Cindy Sota

Congratulations to Barb Chilton for getting a hole-in-one on Dec. 9 during the PCLGA’s Red and Green Tournament!

Barb has been a PebbleCreek resident for 21 years and is no stranger to holes-in-one. In 2009, Barb recorded back-to-back aces on consecutive days on the Tuscany Falls East course, Par 3 holes 4 and 8, but she did not see the ball go in the hole. This time it was different. When she hit her shot on the Par 3 on hole number 17 of Tuscany Falls East, it went left, kicked off the hill onto the green, rolled into the cup, and this time she saw it! How sweet it is!

Barb’s playing companions treated her to a victory lunch and celebrated her latest feat.

The only Par 3 left for Barb to ace is hole number 13. We look forward to hearing about that in the future!

Way to go, Barb!